


Such Moments

by Medie



Category: Night at the Museum (2006 2009)
Genre: Community: fandom_stocking, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-02
Updated: 2012-01-02
Packaged: 2017-10-28 17:19:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 722
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/310224
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Medie/pseuds/Medie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Certain Romans really do think WAY too much...certain cowboys have a recipe for such problems.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Such Moments

**Author's Note:**

  * For [rebecky_mo](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=rebecky_mo).



> My thanks to seraphina20 for the beta!

There is a moment in any general's life that must be held sacrosanct. A moment upon which the entirety of his life can take its direction. Octavius once believed that moment to be the instant he awoke in the strange prison of the museum, trapped in a never-ending cycle, eternally denied the destiny that was any Roman's due. He lived with the determination that this night would be the night his men overcame their curse. Each night they began anew with that hope.

And then he found a new battle in Jedediah's obstinate refusal to surrender. Each night he looked forward to matching wit and weapon with the man. His one true equal in all the museum.

How was he to know then that he'd been wrong the entire time, and that moment would be something far deeper? Something beyond any word any language might hope to offer.

Something—"Ah hell, Octavius, will you quit that? My brainpan's getting achy just listening to you think. Swear the whole danggum museum can hear you. Frankly, it's a miracle we're not getting more complaints." Grinning, Jedediah hauled himself up and clapped hands on Octavius' shoulders.

Octavius grinned back and covered Jedediah's hands with his own. "I believe we will hear far more complaints about your language. There will be children present tonight, Jedediah. You must take care. I do not wish to mount a rescue to the basement because of your ill-guarded tongue."

With a smirk, Jedediah leaned in. "I thought you _liked_ my ill-guarded tongue. Certainly ain't heard you complaining about that one lately. So, your boys see Gigantor anywhere abouts yet?"

"I have had no reports," Octavius said, wrapping arms about the man and hauling him close.

Predictably, Jedediah yelped in protest. "Goddangit, Octavius, how many times I gotta tell you? Not in front of the _men_! I ain't one of your dancin' girls. Quit manhandlin' me and you get your hand off that now. I told you about that too. Dang it, Octavius, I thought you Romans was supposed to be all shy and such about this sort of thing, now I saiiiid get your hand _off that_!"

Octavius tipped his head back, laughing loud and joyous, heedless of who might hear. "None of them pay you any mind, Jedediah. We are far from Rome and, at any rate, certain threats and bribes have well secured their obliviousness. I am quite persuasive when required to be—as you well know." He stalked forward, dragging Jedediah toward his personal tent. It hadn't been there, once, but Larry in his infinite wisdom had discerned that warriors such as himself and Jedediah would require a place in which they might find solitude. For contemplation and other such things.

Aided, of course, by a rather impressively large jar of something that Larry refused to name, but had blushed quite furiously whilst handing over. In fact, Larry seemed prone to such blushing anytime he entered the hall, to say nothing of his rather ridiculous expressions when he'd procured the tent.

Apparently, whilst no one objected to his thoughts or Jedediah's language, they did object to catching them both _in flagrante delicto_ in the other dioramas.

"You're doing it again," Jedediah singsonged, pushing him into the tent.

"My apologies, Jedediah," Octavius said with a grin. "I believe I am overcome in your presence."

"I'll show you overcome," Jedediah said and jumped.

Laughing still, Octavius tumbled with him onto their bed (another of Larry's generous, if awkwardly delivered, gifts) and let Jedediah divest him of his clothes.

Perhaps others might find their life's course in the violent clash of blades and the constant search for conquest, but Octavius found he had need of neither.

"Goddangit, Octavius, you're missin' my best work here. Can't you pontifi—whatever later?"

"I believe I can," Octavius agreed. "Tomorrow night perhaps."

"Nah, later than that," Jedediah said, his eyes bright with mischief as his hand, well, yes, his _hand_. "Tomorrow night I was thinking we'd take the car and find a quiet little spot that ain't got a bunch cowboys and legionnaires mucking about."

"A quiet little spot—" Octavius would have said more, but found his thoughts quite unable to hold themselves together. A particular talent of Jedediah's, that.

And wasn't that quite the point of the entire endeavour?

"Goddangit, Octavius!"

"Sorry, sorry!"


End file.
